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CF vs. CRH: CF Industries vs. CRH Stock Comparison

How do CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH) both fall under the Materials industry group, but CF is classified in Chemicals while CRH is classified in Construction Materials.

Company profile comparison for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
Profile ItemCFCRH
NameCF Industries Holdings, Inc.CRH plc Ordinary Shares
Country/RegionUnited StatesIreland
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsConstruction Materials
GICS Sub-IndustryFertilizers & Agricultural ChemicalsConstruction Materials
Market Capitalization17.46 billion USD63.07 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 11, 2005July 13, 1989
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CF
CRH
GSPC
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
Total Return (1Y)49.36%-12.62%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.00%20.74%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.09%17.05%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CF
CRH
GSPC
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

CRH (CRH) has an aggressive beta of 1.31, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while CF Industries (CF) is defensive at 0.56 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.66%34.06%
Beta (5Y)0.561.31
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.36%-39.04%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.49M5.16M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CF and CRH are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.03-0.50
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.59-0.73

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 30.86% sits in the top ROE quartile, while CRH (CRH) at 13.92% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CF.

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

Max
52.88%
CF
30.86%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

CRH

Materials industry group

13.92%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
CRH
13.92%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 27.48% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of CRH (CRH) at 9.19%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CF

Materials industry group

27.48%

Max
38.66%
CF
27.48%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

CRH

Materials industry group

9.19%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
CRH
9.19%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 34.36% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of CRH (CRH) at 18.18%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CF

Materials industry group

34.36%

Max
66.70%
CF
34.36%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

CRH

Materials industry group

18.18%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
CRH
18.18%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
ROE (TTM)30.86%13.92%
ROA (TTM)12.61%5.73%
Net Margin (TTM)27.48%9.19%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.36%18.18%
Gross Margin (TTM)42.52%36.23%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 19.34% and CRH (CRH) at 5.27% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% and CRH (CRH) at 9.76% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
Revenue Growth (YoY)19.34%5.27%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-14.12%4.60%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.09%9.76%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-18.19%3.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 and CRH (CRH) at 1.46 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CF

Materials industry group

2.98

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
CF
2.98
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16

CRH

Materials industry group

1.46

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
CRH
1.46
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 and CRH (CRH) at 0.82 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CF

Materials industry group

0.41

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
CF
0.41
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

CRH

Materials industry group

0.82

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
CRH
0.82
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.981.46
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.410.82
Net Debt / EBITDA0.212.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% and CRH (CRH) at 1.61% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CF

Materials industry group

1.77%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
CF
1.77%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

CRH

Materials industry group

1.61%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
CRH
1.61%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 14.81% and CRH (CRH) at 29.00% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CF

Materials industry group

14.81%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
CF
14.81%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

CRH

Materials industry group

29.00%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
CRH
29.00%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.77%1.61%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)14.81%29.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while CRH (CRH) at 17.85 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CF

Materials industry group

8.42

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
CF
8.42
Min
3.93

CRH

Materials industry group

17.85

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
CRH
17.85
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both CF Industries (CF) at 2.20 and CRH (CRH) at 1.62 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CF

Materials industry group

2.20

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
CF
2.20
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

CRH

Materials industry group

1.62

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
CRH
1.62
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both CF Industries (CF) at 3.10 and CRH (CRH) at 2.52 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

CF

Materials industry group

3.10

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
CF
3.10
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

CRH

Materials industry group

2.52

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
CRH
2.52
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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CF Industries (CF) vs. CRH (CRH): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and CRH (CRH)
MetricCFCRH
P/E Ratio (TTM)8.4217.85
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.201.62
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.102.52
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)9.10%3.61%